Strand covering machine



y 1940- w. 1'. BARRANs ET AL STRAND COVERING MACHINE Filed Oct. 27, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 W. TBARRANS RM. COLE INVENTORS A TTORNE V Patented May 14, 1940 PATENT arms 2,200,323 STRAND COVERING MACHINE William T. Barrans, Towson, and Paul M. Cole, Dundalk, Md., assignors to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a

' corporation of New York Application October 27, 1938, Serial No. 237,174

9 Claims.

This invention relates to a strand covering machine and more particularly to a machine for producing an extensible and retractile conductor.

An object of this invention is to provide apparatus for making an extensible conductor formed into a spiral of even convolutions.

In accordance with one embodiment of this invention, a delivery type capstan and associated flexible strand tensioning mechanism are provided in a machine for continuously forming and delivering an extensible conductor in a spiral of even convolutions.

Other features of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, ref erence being had to the accompanying 'iirawings,

wherein A Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a braiding machine embodying a delivery type capstan;

Fig. 2 is a detail view of an extensible conductor in retracted form;

Fig. 3 is a detail view of the delivery capstan with a number of convolutions of the cord coiled on it;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 44 in Fig. 1, showing the strand tensioning mechanism;

. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view of the top plate of the braiding machine.

The use of ordinary capstans on machines for producing extensible conductors necessitates the additional step of coiling the conductor into the desired shape after it leaves the capstan. The present invention obviates this dimculty by providing a capstan which not only draws the conductor through the machine-but also coils it into the desired form.

Although the strand covering mechanism disclosed is a braiding machine, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to such a disclosure but is equally useful and applicable to any machine for producing retractile cords, such as a knitting machine.

, Referring more specifically to Fig. 1, there is shown a common type maypole braider upon a supporting framework I. A conventional driving mechanism is encased in a housing 3 mounted on the customary base 2 which is securely fixed to frame I. The .top of casing 3 is formed by a top plate 4 and mounted for undulating movement in grooves 6 and I in top plate 4 (see Fig. 5) are the bobbin assemblies 8 with thread guides 3. Hollow warp guides III for guiding the rubber strands from the feed rollersto the braid guide II are threaded onto hollow studs supporting the horn gears (not shown) for driving the bobbins. Preferably the warp guides Ill are provided with thread guiding rollers-I2 at their upper ends. As many warp guides may be provided as desired, two being used in the instant case. The assembly and driving features of the braider are conventional and will not be disclosed here.

Also carried on top plate 4 is a framework I3 supported by base plates I 4 which are afiixed to top plate 4. Secured to the horizontal member of framework I3 are two depending arms I5 and I6 which accommodate bearings I I and I8 for shaft I9. The arm I5 also carries the braid guide II. Shaft I3 carries on one enda gear 20 which is driven byl a worm gear 2|. Worm gear 2| is secured to vertical shaft 22 which is driven through the driving mechanism 23. Any suitable motor, such as 24, may be used for operating the driving mechanism of the braider. The other end ofshaft I9 constitutes a capstan 25.

The capstan 25 comprises a winding spindle which at 28 is cylindrical and of a slightly larger diameter than the inner diameter of the formed coil, and tapers at 29to a reduced section 30 which is somewhat smaller in diameter than the inner diameter of the retracted coil permitting the coil to be easily pushed off the spindle. The

, portion 28 of the spindle is knurled, as shown, to increase the drawing power of the capstan. Se-

cured to a reduced extension 21 of bearing I! by means of a set screw 26 is a pusher cam 3| within which the capstanis free to rotate. The pitch of the pusher cam is approximately equal to the finished diameter of the cord in order that one revolution of the capstan will advance the coiled cord in an axial direction about one convolution thickness. With such a capstan the covered cord is drawn from the covering mechanism and automatically ejected from the machine in a coil of even convolutions; I

Mounted on shaft I 9, for rotation therewith, is a sprocket wheel 32 which drives sprocket 33 through drive chain 34. Sprocket 33 and its associated mechanism provide the driving means for the flexible strand tensioning mechanism. Shaft 35, to which sprocket 33 is secured, is mounted in pillow blocks 36. Also mounted on shaft 35 is sprocket 31, which through drive chain 33 drives sprocket 39 (see Fig. 4). Mounted in pillow blocks 4|! is shaft 4| which carries sprocket 33 and tensioning roller 42. The pillow blocks 40 are fixed to supports 43 which are secured to frame 1. Supports 43 also carry shaft 44. Pivotally mounted on shaft 44 are L-shaped arms 45 which rotatably carry tension roller 46. Roller 43 is in rolling contact withroller 42. "The contact pressure of the rollers is adjustable by means of adjustable hook 41, which exerts a yielding turning moment onarms t5 through spring 48.

The flexible strand tensioning mechanism comprises the capstan 25 and pressure rollers 42 and 46. The tension applied to the strands depends directly on the difference in peripheral speeds of the capstan 25 and pressure rollers 42 and 66. This speed difierential may be acquired by various means. In the present disclosure, it is obtained by driving the pressure rollers from the capstan through a speed reducing mechanism by which the pressure rollers are driven at A; the speed of the capstan, thus applying a 300percent tension to the flexible strands. Itis to be understood 'that' tension applied to the flexible strands may be adjusted by varying the diameter of the capstan, the diameter of the pressure rollers, or the interconnecting driving mechanism. For guiding the flexible strands from their supplies to the tensioning rollers, there is provided a guide plate 49 suitably supported by depending brackets from horizontal members of framework I.

In operation, the flexible strands 50 pass from supply bobbins 5|, over guide plate 49, between tensioning rollers 42-46, through the hollow warp guides In, over guide rollers l2 to braid guide II. This strand feed is so arranged that the strands are incorporated into the covering and positioned along that face of the conductor 52 which will engage the capstan 25. With this type feed, the flnished cord 53 will tend to coil itself on the capstan 25. As the braid is applied to core 52, shaft 22 will drive capstan 25 and tensioning rollers 42-46 at a speed ratio of 3:1, thereby tensioning the flexible strands 50. At each revolution of capstan 25, the covered cord 53, which is coiled on the capstan, will be advanced axially along the capstan by pusher cam 3 I. It will be seen that the continued rotation of the capstan will deliver the finished core off the capstan in coiled form.

It will be understood that many changes and modifications may be made in this apparatus without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, which is to be limited only by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a machine for covering cores, the combination of means for applying a covering toa core, an axially tapering take-up spindle, and a pusher cam within which saidspindle is free to rotate.

2. In a machine for covering cores, means for braiding a covering over a core, means for in-; cluding in said braided covering a tensioned,

flexible strand, means for tensioning said flexible strand, and an axial type delivery capstan for drawing said covered core through said braiding means.

3. In a machine for covering cores, the combination of means for braiding a covering over said core, means for including within said covering tensioned, flexible strands, means for tensioning said flexible strands, and hollow warp guides having guiding rollers at their upper ends for guiding said tensioned strands to the braiding point.

4. In a machine for covering cores, the combination of means for applying a covering to said core, means for. including on said core tensioned, flexible strands, and means for tensioning said flexible strands comprising an axial type delivery capstan and contacting pressure rolls, said pressure rolls being driven at a predetermined lower peripheral speed than said capstan.

5. In a machine for covering cores, the combination of means for applying a covering to said cores, means for including on said core tensioned, flexible strands, means for tensioning said strands comprising an axial type delivery capstan and contacting pressure rolls, one of said pressure rolls being driven at a lower peripheral speed than said capstan, and means for varying the contact pressure of said rolls.

6. In a machine for covering cores, the combination of means for applying a covering to said core, means for including a tensioned, flexible strand within said covering and on one side of said core, and means for taking up said covered core with the side including said tensioned flexible strand adjacent said take-up means.

7. In a machine for covering cores, the combination of means for applying a. covering to said core, means for including on said core tensioned, flexible strands, and means for tensioning said flexible strands comprising an axial type delivery capstan and flexible strand retarding means.

8. In a strand covering machine, an axial delivery take-up means comprising a rotating spindle for drawing the strand through the machine, and a stationary cam for urging the strand axially along the spindle.

9. In a strand covering machine, an axial delivery take-up means comprising a rotatable capstan, and a stationary cam within which said capstan rotates for drawing the strand through the machine and urging it axially along the capstan.

WILLIAM T. BARRANS. PAUL M. COLE. 

